


All the Man That I Need

by sullymygoodname



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: M/M, Post-Episode: s05e05 Housewarming, Relationship Discussions, and i was really mad about it for a while, i'm psychic apparently
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-20
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-07-09 09:47:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19885603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sullymygoodname/pseuds/sullymygoodname
Summary: A few days after the housewarming party, David still has something on his mind. He and Patrick need to talk.





	All the Man That I Need

**Author's Note:**

> I **must** preface this with the fact that I wrote the bulk of this _BEFORE_ the episode "Rock On" aired. In fact, I wrote _all_ of the dialogue directly after "Housewarming" aired. Like, immediately after, 20 minutes after that episode I had this entire scene. Of dialogue. I just need everyone to know that! I didn't have computer access so I couldn't flesh it out or edit it properly (I don't like doing it on my phone) so I let it sit. And then "Rock On" aired and I sat slack-jawed in front of my TV. Because how the fuck?
> 
> Anyway, _this_ was technically the first thing I wrote after 4 years of not writing, so here it is. Imagine it takes place in a world without Ken. Thanks to everyone at the Rosebudd Motel for encouraging me to post this for real! You guys are all simply the best :)
> 
> Title is [Whitney Houston](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WH1Ma50QUk).
> 
> The story you are about to read is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the creator's imagination or are used fictitiously. This story does not reflect the views or opinions of any actual person portrayed herein.  
> ...Anyway, IT'S JUST ~~CLAY~~ ...er, FICTION!

* * *

It's nearing closing time and there's been a lull for the past half hour. David is straightening merchandise on the shelves while Patrick does a quick sweep of the floor. Neither has said a word since the last customer left with three bottles of body milk. David hadn't even acknowledged Patrick's raised eyebrow, or made any attempt to ensure the customer knew not to drink it.

Patrick is only now starting to feel concerned that David has been uncharacteristically quiet for most of the day. So when David says, "I've been thinking," then pauses for a string of fidgety seconds, Patrick begins mentally preparing himself for what may come next.

"Hm?" he prompts when David is still just standing there with his lips pursed and gaze unfocused. He blinks and moves suddenly, finally turning to really look Patrick in the eye. Mostly.

"We both know that I've kissed a lot of people," David finally bursts like he's countering an argument that only he's been having. Pausing to catch up, Patrick gently sets the broom aside.

"Um, yes," he agrees, not quite but almost turning it into a question. They've done the past relationships talk. They'd sort of had to, after everything, and it was more of a broad discussion without the gritty details, but they'd covered everything. He’d thought.

"Like, _a lot_ a lot," David continues, both hands waving emphatically, one still holding a jar of eye cream.

Still confused, Patrick takes a couple of steps closer. "I know. And I've told you, your past is... the past."

"And you haven't," he says firmly, ignoring the last statement. Which is fair, he's just stating a fact. Patrick hasn't kissed as many people as David. He's probably never met as many people as David has kissed.

"Okay. Well, this is a fun way to tell me you think I'm an inexperienced kisser." Patrick tries to make it a joke, but... is it?

"What? No." David sets down the eye cream and moves toward Patrick. "No, that's not—you're a great kisser. I love kissing you." He sidles in closer, fingers walking up Patrick's arms to his shoulders, and Patrick's hands find their rightful place around David's hips.

"I was just thinking about what you said the other night," David says, fingernails scratching through the short hairs at the back of Patrick's head.

"What did I say?"

"About you wanting to kiss Ted."

Patrick blinks at that, his head jerking back the slightest bit, and David's fingers slip away.

The party was two days ago and they haven't talked about it since that night. The last time Patrick saw Alexis, this morning in fact, she showed no signs of still being upset. It probably helped that Ted couldn't even remember most of what happened that night, although he was embarrassed when Stevie told Mr. and Mrs. Rose all about it at the cafe when everyone had assembled for brunch yesterday.

"David, I don't want to kiss Ted."

"Maybe not Ted, specifically, but you were jealous, and there are a lot of other men in the world." David's hands come to rest again on Patrick's shoulders. "Handsome men, who go to the gym."

"David—"

"You were with one woman for, like, fifteen years!" David's voice goes high and breathy. It couldn't be called a shout, really.

Patrick tightens his grip around David's hips, drawing their bodies even closer. "We got together when we were sixteen," he says, "but I had other relationships. You know that."

"Yes, yes—" David's hands flutter in the air. "Two other girlfriends and less than a handful of little flings. With women. I'm the only man you've ever kissed."

"So?"

"I know that we're basically the same age," says David, and Patrick raises his eyebrows at that, which David ignores. "But you are a brand new baby queer just taking your first precious steps out into the world."

"You make me sound like Bambi." He knows he's new to some things and he'll never be as experienced as David, but this feels kind of insulting. He's not a child. "So, what are you saying? You want me going out and kissing other men?"

"It's what people do! It's part of the process," David says, still in that whisper-shout, hands massaging his shoulders now.

"What process is that exactly?"

"Of, you know, growing up, or whatever. Exploring all your options. I mean, my twenties were—well, a blur to be honest. But I know I kissed a lot of wrong people to figure out what was right."

"And you think I need to experience that, as well." Patrick shakes his head, sliding his arms fully around David's waist. "David, I know your relationship history is more extensive than mine. I know that you've been with people of all genders—"

"Well not _all_ genders. I mean, who even knows how many there are."

"I know you've had more relationships than me," Patrick continues. "And non-relationships, and threesomes, and probably more. Again, I don't need the details." He tips his head to keep eye contact with David. "Do you... want to be kissing other people? Do you miss that? Meeting someone new? Getting to know them? First kisses? Is that what you're..."

"No! No, no. No." David squeezes his shoulders. "I told you, I already did that. I spent my twenties doing that. I'm done. With that." He's ducking his head, almost trying to hide in Patrick's open collar, and says, softly, a whisper-whisper now, "I never... loved that part, anyway. The beginning. When everything is uncertain and awkward and I could never really—and it was always that part, for me. Nobody ever really let me get past that part."

Patrick pulls him closer still, wrapping his arms tightly around his body. He feels David's stubble graze his chin and the more sensitive skin on his neck when David lays his head down on Patrick's shoulder.

"You never got to do any of that," David whispers into his ear, and Patrick shivers. He thinks he understands now.

"David." He kisses David's neck, and his cheek, and his ear. "I don't need to go kiss a bunch of men to know that I like men. And I don't need to explore any other—" he gestures vaguely with one hand, but it's behind David's back so he can't see it, "—to know that I'm not missing anything."

He pulls back so that he can see David's face, his beautiful face.

"This was just the first time I've ever seen you show interest in men," David says. "In another man. Besides me."

Nodding, Patrick says. "I think this is the first time in my life that I let myself really think about it. Men. In general. A-attractiveness," he stutters, blushing.

He still finds these conversations so difficult, just getting the words out, even with David, who knows just about all of his secrets now, it seems. But there's just a little more.

"Do you want to know what really upset me about that kiss?" he asks. "It's because... it was hot, okay? Two attractive men kissing right in front of me? It was hot!" The confession leaves his body like steam from an over-boiling pot, and his face is on fire.

David's lips split his face in a grin so wide that Patrick keeps going. 

"But I also hated it," he says. "I hated the sight, even the thought, of someone else kissing you."

David's fingers are back in the hair at Patrick's nape and his mouth is twisted now all the way to one side.

"Oh," he says, quiet and delighted. "You had a confused boner."

"Okay." Patrick drops his arms from around David's waist and pushes at his hips to disentangle them. He turns and reaches for his abandoned broom, but David snags his hand and yanks him back over. He grabs Patrick by the back of the neck and kisses him. And kisses him. And kisses him until Patrick's arms wind themselves around David once again.

* * *


End file.
